In the spirit of experimentation I planted some bulbs last fall in three of the heavily shaded raised beds that run behind the very large maple tree. The soil is beautiful back there; nearly black and holding just the perfect amount of moisture. The maple is a thing of beauty. It's first branches about twelve feet in the air. I'm guessing she is about fifty years old, fifty feet tall and fifty feet wide. The shade is perfection on a late summer evening, but even the grass has trouble thriving in the limited light. No good for vegetables, or anything but the shadiest plants. I hoped that anything that comes up before the maple leaves unfurl would be a winner. Soon after planting, the skunks found the beds and it is unclear how many bulbs they scampered off home with. It's likely the beds could be very patchy. Patchy or no, they began their earliest peeking through the soil in February. This week they have started to bloom.
Bed One: Yellow and Blue. The first of the blue Scilla seem to have suffered under the weight of the 18" of Tuesday's Blizzard. I planted them in a bed with Daffodils, which seem to be unscathed but are taking their sweet time.
Bed Two: Orange, Peach, and Yellow. The next bed is crocus, hyacinth and tulips all of which seem to be emerging. The Crocus are blooming and seem to have faired slightly better than the Scilla in the snow. I believe the picture below is the hyacinth starting to bud. It looks otherworldly in there.
Bed Three: Purple and Red. The last bed is more sparsely planted with exotic tulips; Blueberry Ripple and Eternal Flame. Naturally they aren't in any hurry.
It is a gardener's paradise out there. From just a few feet away everything looks dormant, covered in residual snow and the detritus of a long winter poorly maintained. Just under the surface, however, it is all activity. Just brush away the first layer of soggy leaves and spring is there waiting for the riot to begin.
